


They didn’t care

by Clovercove



Series: Mental health fics I’ll write every now and again [2]
Category: Camp Camp
Genre: Character Study, FML, It’s 2 am, Sad Max, im in emotions, sorta - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-29
Updated: 2018-05-29
Packaged: 2019-05-15 08:49:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 884
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14787312
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Clovercove/pseuds/Clovercove
Summary: Max’s character study. It’s 2am and the author is very tired. Sorry in advanced (not beta’d)





	They didn’t care

Max was raised in a family that didn’t care. His parents weren’t abusive but they weren’t dotting, not by a long shot. 

Max remembered back when he was about four. They cared a bit about him then. He would dig around the trash out of boredom and curiosity and his father would run up to him and pull max out saying “don’t do that maxwell, or you might get cut.” Then he would walk off to do paperwork. They cared a little bit back then. 

Max started realizing his parents weren’t normal at age six. He saw a young girl at his preschool ran up to her parents after school got out. She looked overjoyed to see them, and when she reached them her mother twirled her around before kissing her on the forehead. Max immediately got to thinking when he walked up to his parents and all they did was usher him to the car. “Why didn’t mommy twirl me in the air and kiss me? Is it a girl thing? Gross” and then he brushed it off. But now he was more acutely aware of everything other parents did that his didn’t. 

“My daddy packed my lunch today! He always packs the best stuff!” Annabel, one of maxes classmates yells triumphantly across the room. It quickly got drowned out by all the other kids screeching but max still heard it. “Why didn’t daddy pack my lunch? He just brings money for school lunch. Mommy always said we needed to save money so why not give me some food to bring so we don’t have to spend it on school lunch?” Max wouldn’t get his answer.

On maxes 7th birthday there was no cake, no decorations, no party. His mom simply said they didn’t have the money or time. Max noticed a pattern. They always dont have the money or time. Max was ok with that. They were busy and he needed to respect that. At least that’s what mommy always told him. 

Max new he lived in a bad neighborhood. When he was younger maxes dad would take him for walks when his mom needed time to herself, usually once a month, and they would go to nice neighborhoods. They had big houses max used to describe as “a bajillion times the size of earth” and nice lawns, beautiful flowers, and lovely fountains. And when they went back home he noticed the drastic differences. The houses near his (and like his) were small and cramped together, with lawns mostly made of dirt and dead grass. Max didn’t mind though. He would have liked to live in big grand houses but he new he couldn’t just complain to his working parents that what they had wasn’t enough. He wanted to, don’t get me wrong, but he new better. 

At age eight he started getting bitter. He started repeating the “bad words” his father would shout which got him in trouble, but for once he didn’t care. He wouldn’t dream of directing the words towards his parents but he would say them every now and again. If he stubbed his toe he would groan “fuck” and soon after get scolded by his parents. 

He then realized something. If he acts good his parents don’t bat an eye, but if he acts out, they give him attention. Attention he oh so craved. Attention his nine year old mind thirsted for. He was finally going to be recognized. His parents would finally realize he’s there. So he did anything he could to get there attention. 

He would bang on pots and pans while they would work, he would break plates, he would complain loudly, he cussed at his parents willingly. And soon they snapped. 

“That is IT young man! I don’t know what’s gotten into you lately but i will not put up with this! Now I know you can do better. If you so much as accidentaly drop a fork you will be grounded. You will leave us alone while we work and you will help clean up the messes you make. now go to your room, your not getting dinner” 

That was the first big punishment he’s ever gotten. And he relished in it. He never felt so noticed before. He never felt so alive before. He pushed his friends away a long time ago with his bad attitude but he cant push away his parents if they're already backed up to a wall. So he acted worse. And when he got yelled at again he acted even worse. Until his parents gave in. Right after he turned 10.

“Max, we will not deal with this any more! Pack your things, you are going to a summer camp. We just need some time to ourselves” his father said ribbing his temples. “What will I learn there?” Max asked. “I don’t know nor do I care. Please just be nice to the counselors and do as they say” 

When max was left alone to pack all that was going through his mind was “I don’t care.” It finally clicked. The reason his parents were never there, were never loving and supportive was because they DIDNT CARE. 

Max left on the buss thinking bitterly “I hope I get mauled by bears in this shitty summer camp”


End file.
